Rachel Geman

A partner in our New York office, Rachel Geman’s current practice includes serving as co-lead counsel in litigation alleging kickbacks in the sale of HUMIRA; serving on the Plaintiffs’ Steering Committee in contaminated drug litigation (Valsartan); representing a certified class of women in employment discrimination litigation against Goldman Sachs; and working actively with government investigators on behalf of whistleblower clients.

Rachel’s past representations include:

Employment and Civil Rights law: Rachel represented the City of Philadelphia in Fair Housing Act litigation against Wells Fargo that resolved in 2019 with the bank’s paying $10 million to fund city programs for communities affected by lending discrimination and agreeing to other relief. She represented employee benefit plans in recovering $65 million from AXA Rosenberg to settle ERISA and other claims, and represented a class of female financial advisors who secured $39 million plus injunctive relief from Bank of America/Merrill Lynch to settle gender discrimination claims.

Consumer protection: Consumer protection: Rachel represents consumers in litigation against General Motors involving defective ignition switches, where the court awarded preliminary approval to a $120 million settlement in May 2020. Rachel served as co-lead class counsel or counsel for the class in consumer financial litigation over “payment protection” products, resulting in more than $50 million in settlements.

False Claims Act: Rachel helped recoup $78.5 million from the University of Phoenix, one of the largest settlements involving fraud on the Department of Education, and has been lead counsel on recent settlements of off-label marketing and kickback cases.

Rachel chairs NELA-NY’s amicus committee and is a frequent writer and speaker on topics in complex litigation. She is active in her children’s schools, and a published puzzle constructor.

Published Works

•Author, “Whistleblower Under Pressure,” Trial Magazine, April 2013
•Author and Panelist, “Who is an Employer Under the FLSA?, National Employment Lawyers Association Conference, 2013
•Co-Editor, The New York Employee Advocate, 2005-2009
•Author and Panelist, “Class Action Considerations: Certification, Settlement, and More,” American Conference Institute Advanced Forum, 2009
•The New York Employee Advocate (Co-Editor, 2005-2009; Regular Contributor, 2008 - Present)
•Author, ’Don’t I Think I Know You Already?’: Excessive Subjective Decision-Making as an Improper Tool for Hiring and Promotion, ABA Labor & Employment Section Annual Meeting, 2008
•Author and Panelist, “Ethical Issues in Representing Workers in Wage & Hour Actions,” Representing Workers in Individuals & Collective Actions under the FLSA, 2007
•Author and Panelist, “Evidence and Jury Instructions in FLSA Actions,” Georgetown Law Center/ACL-ABA, 2007
•Author and Panelist, “Crucial Events in the ‘Life’ of an FLSA Collective Action: Filing Considerations and the Two-step ‘Similarly-Situated’ Analysis,” National Employment Lawyers Association, Annual Convention, 2006
•Author and Panelist, “Time is Money, Except When It’s Not: Compensable Time and the FLSA,” National Employment Lawyers Association, Impact Litigation Conference, 2005
•“Image-Based Discrimination and the BFOQ Defense,” EEO Today: The Newsletter of the EEO Committee of the ABA’s Section of Labor and Employment Law, Vol. 9, Issue 1, 2004
•“Fair Labor Standards Act Overtime Exemptions: Proposed Regulatory Changes,” New York State Bar Association Labor & Employment Newsletter, 2004
•Moderator, “Workforce Without Borders,” ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law, EEOC Midwinter Meeting, 2003

Classes/Seminars

•Speaker, “Consumer Class Actions & Classwide Damage Models,” Strafford Webinar, May 2019
•Speaker, “Statistics in Employment and FCA Cases,” Clearlaw Webinar, January 2018
•Speaker, “The Anatomy of a False Claims Act Case & How the FCA Works in a Whistleblower World,” Lawline Webinar, October 2017
•Speaker, “Litigating Wage & Hour Cases: Challenges & Opportunities,” National Employment Lawyers Association Spring Conference, April 2017
•Speaker, “Plaintiffs’ Perspective in Investigating and Litigating Employment Class Actions,” Lawline Webinar, December 2016
•Speaker, “Pay Equity in Practice: What Works? Employee-Side Perspectives on Compensation Discrimination,” ABA-LEL Conference, November 2016
•Speaker, “Bringing Your First - or Next - FHA Case,” NCLC Annual Conference, October 2016
•Moderator, Government Plenary, ABA EEO Conference, March 2016
•Speaker, Latest Trends and Developments in Qui Tam Lawsuits and the Statute of Limitations, Webinar, January 2016
•Speaker and Moderator, “Statistics for Lawyers - Even Those Who Hate Math,” National Employment Lawyers Association Annual Convention, June 2015
•Speaker, “Gender Pay Disparities: Enforcement, Litigation, and Remedies,” New York City Conference on Representing Employees, May 2015
•Speaker, “Protecting Pay: Representing Workers With Wage and Hour Claims,” National Employment Lawyers Association, April 2015
•Speaker and Author, “What Employment Lawyers Need to Know About Non-Employment Class Actions,” ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law Conference, November 2014
•Moderator, “Dodd-Frank and Sarbanes-Oxley Whistleblower Issues,” National Employment Lawyers Association/New York, October 2014
•Speaker, “Consumer Class Action Symposium,” National Consumer Law Center Consumer Rights Litigation Conference, November 2013
•Panelist, “Class Certification Strategies: Dukes in the Rear View Mirror,” Impact Fund Class Action Conference, 2013
•Panelist, “Fraud and Consumer Protection: Plaintiff and Defense Strategies,” Current Issues in Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Litigation, ABA Section of Litigation, 2012
•Panelist, “Drafting Class Action Complaints,” New York State Bar Association, 2011
•Participant and Moderator, “Ask the EEOC: Current Insights on Enforcement and Litigation,” ABA Section of Labor and Employment Law, 2011
•Moderator, “Hot Topics in Wage and Hour Class and Collective Actions,” American Association for Justice Tele-Seminar, 2010
•Panelist, “Rights Without Remedies,” American Constitutional Society National Convention, Revitalizing Our Democracy: Progress and Possibilities, 2008
•Panelist, “Fair Measure: Toward Effective Attorney Evaluations”
•Panelist, “Getting to Know You: Use and Misuse of Selection Devices for Hiring and Promotion,” ABA Labor & Employment Section Annual Meeting, 2008
•Panelist, “Electronic Discovery,” Federal Judicial Center & Institute of Judicial Administration, Workshop on Employment Law for Federal Judges, 2005
•Chair and Panelist, “Current Topics in Fair Labor Standards Act Litigation,” Conference, Association of the Bar of the City of New York, 2003
•Moderator, “Workforce Without Borders,” ABA Section of Labor & Employment Law, EEOC Midwinter Meeting, 2003

Honors & Awards

#8226;AV Preeminent Peer Review Rated, Martindale-Hubbell
•Selected for inclusion by peers in The Best Lawyers in America in field of “Employment Law - Individuals,” 2012-2020
•“Lawyer of the Year,“ Best Lawyers, Employment Law - Individuals, New York City, 2014, 2019
•“Super Lawyer for New York Metro,”Super Lawyers, 2011, 2013-2019
•Recognition for outstanding service to individuals and families who sought compensation under the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund
•Legal 500 recommended lawyer, LegalEase, 2013
•“Rising Star for New York Metro,” Super Lawyers, 2011
•Distinguished Honor Award, United States Department of State, 2001

Past Employment Positions

•Judge Constance Baker Motley, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, Law Clerk, 1997 - 1998
•New York Law School, Adjunct Professor
•United States Mission to the United Nations, Special Advisor

In the News

•July 9, 2020
Rachel Geman Moderates Wage and Hour Panel at NELA 2020 Convention
•May 20, 2020
Rachel Geman Discusses Class-Wide Damage Models at Consumer Class Actions Webinar
•August 12, 2019
Rachel Geman Leads Seminar on Employment Discrimination Class Actions
•May 29, 2018
“Supreme Court Deals Blow to Employees Holding Employers Accountable” - Rachel Geman Writes for ACS Blog
•March 16, 2018Lieff Cabraser Attorneys Co-Chair and Feature at National Conference on Equal Employment Opportunity Law
•January 5, 2018
Rachel Geman Discusses Statistics in Employment Litigation at Clear Law Institute Webinar
•October 17, 2017
Rachel Geman Talks to the Washington HeraldNet About Customer Fury Over Fraudulent Short-Term Health Plans
•October 10, 2017
Rachel Geman Presents “Anatomy of a False Claims Act Case” for Lawline